The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has sanctioned Arise Television for airing fake news about the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
The television station is to pay N2,000,000.00 for breaching the broadcasting code.
The sanction was contained in a letter of November 13, 2022 and addressed to the management of the station.
The letter which was signed by the Director-General of the Commission noted that the station failed to comply with the broadcasting code for airing a statement purportedly signed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC).
The commission noted that Arise TV committed the infraction, despite its recent sensitization programme for the broadcasters.
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The station was fined, following a protest letter to the NBC by the Special Adviser, Media, Communications and Public Affairs, APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr. Dele Alake.
The station had used a statement purportedly signed by INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye that Tinubu was been investigated.
INEC has since denied the report, tagging it fake news.
Although the television station had apologized, Alake said that the apology to Tinubu was not enough.
Alake, who spoke on a News Central Television, said: said: The station’s apology was not enough, adding: “Apology does not remove the injury to our candidate. It is flippant and does not sound genuine.”
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He added: “When you make a mistake as fundamental as what Arise did, you must show contrition. You must genuinely and sincerely apologise. And your apology must be comprehensive and robust so that it can elicit acceptance. “Professionals like Arise should not play dirty politics; Arise is not contesting in this election”.
However, NBC did not take the grievous infraction lightly as it slammed a fine of N2,000,000.00 on the station in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Arise Global Media Limited and signed by it’s Director General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah.
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